ove, no! Not if thou car'st at all
For thine own life.... My anguish is enough.

OEDIPUS (_bitterly_).

Fear not!... Though I be thrice of slavish stuff
From my third grand-dam down, it shames not thee.

[Sidenote: vv. 1063-1075]

JOCASTA.

Ask no more. I beseech thee.... Promise me!

OEDIPUS.

To leave the Truth half-found? 'Tis not my mood.

JOCASTA.

I understand; and tell thee what is good.

OEDIPUS.

Thy good doth weary me.

JOCASTA.

O child of woe,
I pray God, I pray God, thou never know!

OEDIPUS (_turning from her_).

Go, fetch the herdsman straight!--This Queen of mine
May walk alone to boast her royal line.

JOCASTA.

[_She twice draws in her breath through her
teeth, as if in some sharp pain._

Unhappy one, goodbye! Goodbye before
I go: this once, and never never more!

[_She comes towards him as though to take a last
farewell, then stops suddenly, turns, and
rushes into the Palace._

LEADER.

King, what was that? She passed like one who flies
In very anguish. Dread is o'er mine eyes
Lest from this silence break some storm of wrong.

[Sidenote: vv. 1076-1097]

OEDIPUS.

Break what break will! My mind abideth strong
To know the roots, how low soe'er they be,
Which grew to Oedipus. This woman, she
Is proud, methinks, and fears my birth and name
Will mar her nobleness. But I, no shame
Can ever touch me. I am Fortune's child,
Not man's; her mother face hath ever smiled
Above me, and my brethren of the sky,
The changing Moons, have changed me low and high.
There is my lineage true, which none shall wrest
From me; who then am I to fear this quest?

CHORUS.

[_They sing_ OEDIPUS _as the foundling of their
own Theban mountain, Kithairon, and
doubtless of divine birth._

[_Strophe._

If I, O Kithairon, some vision can borrow
From seercraft, if still there is wit in the old,
Long, long, through the deep-orbed Moon of the morrow--
So hear me, Olympus!--thy tale shall be told.
O mountain of Thebes, a new Theban shall praise thee,
One born of thy bosom, one nursed at thy springs;
And the old men shall dance to thy glory, and raise thee
To worship, O bearer of joy to my kings.
And thou, we pray,
Look down in peace, O Apollo; I-e, I-e!

[Sidenote: vv. 1098-1120]

[_Antistrophe._

What Oread mo